December Photo Project 12.18.11: Christmas Cards

Every year, when the holidays come around I have a the most difficult time making a decision about which Christmas cards to send.  This year, I wasn't as pro-active as I should have been, so I ended up getting them at Target.  There were a lot of great options, but I do wish I had planned a little bit better and ordered them from somewhere online.   I just love stationary and cards at any time of the year and it amazed me when I started to look around just how many cute and unique cards are available.  With this in my head, hopefully I will take the time after Christmas to buy next years cards. . . . and maybe even find a great deal.

My 2011 Cards

Photo

Nantucket Christmas

Felix Doolittle Cards

My kind of Christmas!!!

Minted

Minted

Minted

Caspari

Caspari

Pumpernickel Press

 
Until tomorrow.  .  .  .

December Photo Project 12.15.11: Keeping me toasty and warm

It gets down right cold here in New York and with my still thin West Coast blood, I will do pretty much anything to stay warm.  Last year, near the end of the season I saw what I had been looking for - a cashmere covered hot water bottle from Restoration Hardware.  This was probably the worst/best example of not knowing that I needed something until I saw it, but it was just so soft!


I didn't end up getting it last year, but when it looked like this

out my apartment window before November even hit, I decided to see if they were in stores again this year.




I was in luck!  It comes in 7 colors, and even through it warmed up for a few weeks after I made my purchase, with the temperatures last week I loved curling up to read with my very own water bottle in Silver Sage (I absolutely love this RH color!). 

I clearly talked quite a bit about this concept over the past 9 months because just recently, one of my very dear friends gave me a different one for Christmas:

Faux Fur Version

It is even softer!


To get a better idea of what they really look like, here is a link to the Restoration Hardware site:

Cashmere Hot Water Bottles

Until tomorrow (I'll be snuggled up and warm!). . .

December Photo Project 12.14.11: {Sometimes} I Love NY

Living in and around New York for the past three and a half years has been full of up and downs.  There are definitely days where I absolutely LOVE living in the Northeast and near The City - admittedly these days usually come in the Spring and Fall.  If I hadn't come back East from California I never would have discovered so many of the things I love; Central Park, Nantucket and Northeast Style to name just a few. But, there are also those days where I wish I lived anywhere but here.  These days are usually in the dead of winter or height of summer when I ask myself: "Do I really have to go out in this weather?!?!"


However, no matter how I feel on any given day, the view from Hoboken, NJ across the Hudson River always makes me smile.  New York is such an amazing place and I can't get enough of this view.

NYC

I just wish the view came with 70 degree weather year round.


Until Tomorrow. . .

December Photo Project 12.13.11: Christmas Centerpieces

I recently had a dinner party and found myself without a centerpiece.  Originally I had planned to use some red Christmas ornaments in a glass vase, but they were too big and the nesting was a bit awkward.  Finding myself in a crunch, I looked around my apartment to see what I could quickly throw together to put in the middle of the table.


To start, I grabbed a shallow baking dish from the cabinet and set my two pillar candles and three Christmas votive candle holders inside.  Having already finished the candy portion of my decorating I then covered the bottom of the dish with M&Ms and Hershey Kisses.  I tend to keep this candy around all through the holidays and now I have a (semi) legit reason!


In the end I was happy with what I put together.  The grouping was much better than the ornaments and ended up being a very easy way to decorate the table.

The only draw back was that people were munching on candy throughout my meal and the chocolate did get a little "melty" from the heat of the candles.


That was my centerpiece, but here are some other holiday tablescapes I have found in various places.  How I would love to have a meal at any of these tables!

arcadian-home

Shutterstock

Mama-Knows

Designs for Living

Designs for Living

The Shopping Mama

Red Table

Until Tomorrow. . . .

December Photo Project 12.12.11: Store Windows

I have always love, love, loved going to the mall at Christmastime.  As long as it isn't so packed that I can't walk around, I could spend hours strolling around the stores looking at the holiday windows.  (And of course going into a few to see what they have inside.)  Today I went to the mall after I finished my work day and was in luck because there weren't too many people roaming around.  I quickly found a parking spot and had no problem wandering.

There were some really great windows but my favorite today were at Brooks Brothers.  This is probably because I have always loved the Brooks Brothers look - it is so tailored and professional.  Even when I lived in California, I gravitated toward this style when I considered my wardrobe choices for more formal occasions.  I was always the preppy one in my circle of friends at college, which made me a bit of a stand out at UC Berkeley, but I couldn't help it.  It probably all started because my dad always wore monogrammed Brooks Brothers shirts to work as I was growing up.  Their "Day After Christmas" sale was always circled on the the calendar and a real event in my family.  I guess it is still ingrained in me and this year, I thought the window designers did a very nice job and wish I cold spend a day in the scenes they have set up!

I just love the toggle coat on the right...

And the scarf in this window has given me inspiration to look for a similar one, I love the red and navy combo. . .

Until Tomorrow. . .